COVID-19 Infection an Individual Risk Factor of Stroke

ABSTRACT

Background: COVID-19 infection is associated with multi-organ involvement. Neurological manifestations are seen in COVID-19 infection due to endothelial damage and prothrombotic state. Thus the importance of early detection or identifying the patients with high risk for developing cerebrovascular manifestations that could end up in disability and a worse overall prognosis has lead to the study of stroke characteristics in association with COVID-19. Objective(s) To study the acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA) manifestations in patients infected with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Methods and Materials Our study is a retrospective from July 2020 to September 2020 for a period of 3 months done in confirmed Covid-19 infection (SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR-positive) who are admitted in our tertiary care hospital. Diagnosing of stroke was confirmed either by Computed Tomography(CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain. The inclusion criteria were as follows RT PCR confirmed Covid 19 cases, who developed acute cerebrovascular accident in the patient. Exclusion Criteria Include Known case of stroke, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, hypertensive cases and morbid obesity patients. Result(s) Out of 8489 covid-19 confirmed cases in our hospital nearly 10 cases developed neurological manifestations who had no other co morbidities or risk factors. Out of 10 patients, 7 patients were male and 3 patients were female. Out of 10 cases 20% of cases were among the age group of 25-40 years of age, another 70% belongs to 40-50 years of age & 10% of cases belongs to age group 50-60years. Thus majority of our cases were around age group 40-50 years. Majority of our patients (60%) developed cerebrovascular accident on day 3-6 of onset of symptoms. All our patients had high sensitivity C-reactive protein above 10mg/ml and 60% had their serum ferritin value >550ng/ml. Majority of our patients had their D-dimer value >10000ng/ml. Most of our patients(50%) belongs to severe category of National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS).Majority of our patients who developed stroke had improved (70%), nearly 10% had no improvement and 20% died. All our patients developed ischemic stroke. Conclusion(s) From our study we seen that middle aged male between 40-50 yrs. who are infected with covid-19 infection with no comorbiditites and with higher inflammatory markers had developed ischemic stroke when compared to the usual age >60 years with comorbidities in non-covid patients. Thus we conclude that covid 19 infection is to be considered as an individual risk factor for developing stroke. D-dimer level more than 3 fold increase and high C-reactive protein should alarm the physician to start on early treatment of steroids and anticoagulants.. Thus early detection of inflammatory markers and early start of anticoagulants and steroids resulted in good outcome of the patients. Repeat inflammatory markers should be done at the end of the treatment and if it is still elevated, patient should be discharged with oral steroids, antiplatelets and statins even with no comorbidities and symptoms. Anyhow studies with bigger sample size is needed to validate these results.Copyright © 2023, Dr Yashwant Research Labs Pvt Ltd. All rights reserved.